It's a Lifestyle Choice

I've been making this real, honest effort to not pass judgement on so many people. I have never considered myself to be a judgmental person. In fact, quite the opposite: I've always considered myself pretty open minded and accepting of other people, and for the most part I think that's true. But I also feel like there are so many times when we pass judgement without even thinking about it or realizing we're doing it.

I'm pretty active on some internet forums, and some I just lurk. They can be vicious. And really, it's quite petty. But that's what got me thinking, about who the heck CARES to argue about things so insignificant?! People judge on what one decides to feed their pets. (yeah, guilty as charged, but not anymore!!) People judge on where people opt to give birth. People judge on where someone chooses to live. People judge on what religion someone is, or how often they go to church. People judge on what someone weighs, or what kind of clothes they wear. What in the heck difference does this make in the big picture? None.

The thing is, sometimes it bothers me to see people make decisions out of ignorance. But, what bothers me more, is when people assume that someone is ignorant simply because they don't agree. Guess what folks, it is entirely possible for two educated individuals to come to different conclusions on a hot topic, and neither one is right or wrong!

I think what I have learned most about myself, in this whole effort to not judge others,  is how much on a daily basis I worry about what people might think of me, and how that worry effects my life on a day to day basis. Not anymore. Judgement breeds insecurity, and insecurity breeds hard feelings and hard feelings breed misery. Not exactly a chain reaction anyone wants in on, is it?

So, here I am. Think what you want. Reality is, we all belong to groups of people that have some kind of ignorant stereotypes associated to them. Here's some of mine.

I live in UTAH.
Yeah, Utah. You know, where all the crazy Mormons. I may have at some point laughed along with you or ranted about how awful this place is because I know what people think of it; how people judge it. But, truth is, I LOVE this place. It's beautiful. I love the community. I love the atmosphere. I love the seasons. I love the terrain. And you know, I just so happen to be one of those crazy Mormons myself.

I am MORMON.
No, that doesn't mean my husband has a bunch of wives, or that I'm holier-than-thou, or that i believe in magic. I may have at some point said "yeah, I'm mormon, but a lot of people don't know that!" in some lame attempt to not sound nuts. But you know, I hope everyone that knows me DOES know it... because I'm proud of it. It's part of me. It means that I have a religion that I believe in, and it makes no difference to be if you do or not!


I have SIX DOGS.
Yeah, I have six canines. They live in my house, and I love them dearly. You might think that's too many, you might even think it's impossible to care for that many. But, guess what? It's the decision we made for ourselves, and they ARE well cared for. Will we ever get another? Oh, I'm sure eventually. And I'm sure people will once again whisper, and share opinions about how irresponsible we are, or that our animals take over our lives, or something else that's really no one's business. But, at the end of the day: I no longer care.


I want MULTIPLE KIDS.
I don't even want a "large" family. Jon and I want two or three kids. But even so, I don't at all understand why having a large family is so looked down on. Like anyone has any place to decide how many children someone should have. I really detest the idea that having kids somehow ruins your life, or makes it less fulfilling. If YOU have chosen not to have kids because YOU don't want them, more power to you, but that doesn't mean that I must agree. And I don't.


I have REHOMED PETS.
Which means I am an unfit animal owner who must be burned at the stake, right?! Ugh. Whatever you want to think. I can not even begin to tell you the crap I've gotten any time I've decided to re home a pet, but you know what, I do what is best for my animals, and my husband and I make our decisions together, and to heck with everyone else! Not one animal I have ever owned is currently miserable. So, there.

These are just some of the things that I have been insecure about MYSELF over, because of what other people might think. This list could be a mile long if I really sat here and dished out everything. My point is, i think we could ALL make an honest effort to not pass judgement so quickly on other people, even if we might think we know everything. Next time you judge someone, consider that you are wrong. Consider that perhaps that very thing you are judging is the exact lifestyle choice that brings that person joy and meaning.

Deck the Freakin' Halls

The last couple days have been interesting. A lot of annoyances and unnecessary stress, but that's all unimportant. Yesterday I woke up, tired of all the mindless crap, and decided I wanted absolutely nothing more than to put our Christmas tree up. So, we did.

Yes, I admit it. On October 28th, I took down Halloween decorations, and put up Christmas. There, I said it! I bought all the stuff we have last year when it all went on super clearance after the Holiday. I'm so glad I did, because now it's paying off!
This will be our third Christmas as a married couple. But the first one, was only 7 days after our wedding, 6 days after moving out of state, and I had to work. It kind of just came and passed without notice to be honest. Last year was great, but we were in our tiny apartment, so we couldn't have had a tree if we wanted one. So, I've been excited to decorate ever since we bought our house (In March or May, can't remember) so I figured I had waited long enough.

Then, we figured if the tree was going up, it all might as well! After all, it did look pretty silly having the tree next to the mantle decked out for Halloween still. We are three stockings short, apparently we have more dogs this year... but that can be fixed! SO far, the dogs have left it all alone, thank goodness. Lets hope it just stays that way now!

Sandy Eggo

SO, this post is coming way late, but this is the first bit of free time I've had.

Last week, Jon and I were able to take the very first vacation we ever have with just the two of us. We have gone to visit friends or family, and gone to Lake Powell with my family, but never have we left town, just the two of us, for any length of time. Since we've been married almost 2 years now, I think it was about time we left. We would not have been able to even THINK about going on ANY kind of vacation, let alone a whole week if it weren't for Jon's wonderful mother. (pretty sure we owe her our souls at this point) I'm so incredibly thankful that we have such amazing family all across the board.

For a whole week, it was just the two of us. Our own schedule, or no schedule at all. He got to see a little bit of where I spent the first 18 years of my life, but for the most part, we were just together.  It was pretty fantastic.

We went to the Zoo, Sea World, Disneyland, California Adventures, Midevil Times, and Universal Studios. As neat as all those places are, I was just happy to be there with Jon. A whole week, together... who knew it could be so amazing?!

We had a lot of fun taking pictures at various places, and just simply being together. We had a lot of time to talk about our plans for the future, both near and far. We talked about home, dogs, work, school, family... everything. All the things that ordinary life seems to take time away from. I feel like we got to know each other all over again.

But, the week had to come to an end, and back to reality we came. We ended up coming home a day early because we missed the dumb dogs so much. They all got sick while we were gone, so I was eager to get home and make sure they were ok. Everyone got better- but Zailey got worse. Her cough turned into a respiratory infection so now she's miserable on meds. Poor dane. I'm so glad we feed raw so that they are hardly ever sick.

Well, that's kinda freaky.

A while back I got in this feeling sorry for myself stupid girl rut for a couple days. You know, that's annoying "poor me" blog post not too long ago? Yeah, then. Sorry about that, by the way.... I'll try not to blog when I'm being retarded anymore. 

Anyway, so I'm not one to put a ton of cheesy merit into dreams. I mean, I like to think they mean something, but I don't know what that something is, and for all I know they could be the result of aliens invading our brains while we sleep. BUT, I had this "woah" experience this week. 

After the stupid blog post, I was feeling pretty down. I took a nap on the couch with Annie and had this insane dream in which I was sitting with my Great Grandma Louise, who passed away quite a LONG time ago. I was in her old house, which isn't even standing anymore, and I remember every detail from the grooves in the carpet, to the ugly drapes, to the doilies that sat on every single surface. (tangent: what is it with old ladies and doilies anyway?!) 

Anyway, she was teaching me how to crochet, something that I always wanted to learn... but never had the time, and now the two ladies that I would have wanted to teach me have passed. I woke up kinda phased out, and laid there for a minute thinking about it. 

Well, I have this ball of yarn that I've had forever with a crochet hook pierced through it. I don't know where it came from, but I've had it forever. I sat down, and made a hot pad. 

Yeah, apparently my Great Grandma Louise taught me how to crochet last week. Freaky, huh? 

I do stand by the fact that I am incredibly lacking in the talent and friends department, but at least I know how to do SOMETHING... and I put writing ability to work by doing Jon's take home test essay this week. Oops, did I say that?

A few things going on here, one... we are going on vacation next month. Yeah, VACATION to San Diego. I never thought after living in San Diego for 18 years, I'd be going back to visit and call it a vacation.... but I'm excited. It will be the very FIRST time Jon and I will be on vacation by ourselves, and not at someone's house. Don't ge me wrong, I love going to Vegas to visit family, and going to Idaho to see my best friend is one of my favorite places to go... and lake Powell is AAAAMAZING.... but, well, Jon is my husband, and kinda my favorite person in the world, and it will be nice to go away with him and only him. Well, and the thousands of tourists at Disneyland and Sea World and wherever else we go, but you get the point. So, countdown to SoCal.... 17 days. Woot. 

On another note, we made it through Zailey's first heat. Mousse lost some weight refusing to eat a decent portion for three solid weeks, and Zai has been so cooped up she doesn't know what to do with herself, but she will be hitting the dog park soon! Mousse suddenly noticed I'm alive, and now that he's not so distracted has been my shadow all day long. Speaking of Mousse, he might be "servicing a bitch" next week. (psst, for you non breeder folks that means he gets to knock up a female dog.) Hopefully that pans out. 

AND, one more thing. I entered Braxton in this contest to win stuff from Fetching Tags, which I really really really really want to win. SO, if you would be so kind as going to vote for him by "liking" his picture, you'd pretty much make my day. We don't do a ton of contests, and we never win anything, but if we could win this one that'd be pretty AWESOME. Want, want, want. And our charity of choice is of course Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue. 

So, go here: http://www.facebook.com/fetchingtags?sk=wall&filter=1

and find this: 

And like it!

Spooky Time

I love holidays. I don't even know why, really... we don't do much for them, since Jon works so much and my schedule is all over the place, but I still love them.
I wasn't planning on decorating for Halloween this year because let's face it... decorations are expensive! Plus, I really really wanted to go all out for Christmas since we finally live in a place worth decorating, so I figured I'd save my money.
But, thanks to Jon's lovely mother, we are decorating for both! Rod Works is seriously one of my favorite stores ever, and we decked out the fireplace/mantle.
Sooooo.... the new loot!

Is this little mummy not the cutest darn thing you've ever seen?!

I love this witch, I actually bought it last year even though we lived in the apartment, because I couldn't pass it up. My mom used it for a year, and now here she is! The pumpkin is new this year, though.

Could he be any cuter? nope.

Mr. Skeleton.... seriously, whoever comes up with this stuff, I adore them.

Ok, so this was bought at Michael's but it fit in.... plus, it's kinda awesome.
















And, the whole setup. I think I'm going to get some small, plastic pumpkins to maybe paint and fill in some of the extra space, but all in all I'm happy with it. And, I've pretty much decided that I just CAN'T WAIT for Christmas, so I think we will set our tree up when we take this stuff down, and I don't care if it's early! Woot!!

Shadows

You know what gets really old, really fast? Living in the shadows. I really have no neat talents, shoot... I can't even sew a straight line with the machine I thought it would be a great idea to spend $200 on. I can't cook to save my life, and forget baking. I have no kids. (can't even figure out how to make those, apparently.) I was once a halfway decent writer, but seems that one single talent has escaped me. Or I just have zero use for it, not sure which.
And really, having no local friends has officially taken its toll.
Today, I'm really tired of hearing about how great everyone is, and how talented they are.
I'm just that oddball out in the family. My life revolves around work, and my dogs.... no one understands why. Hell, I don't even understand why half the time other than... what else is there? What else am I going to do to fill my time? Dogs it is.

...can I just be pissed off for the night?

Home Sweet Home

I can't believe how time goes by. We have been in our house for 6 months already! Sheesh, you'd think we'd have more of our projects done by now! Sometimes I don't think the yard will EVER get done... not with time and finances the way they are. But that's ok, because in the last 6 months, we've really turned this little hole in the wall into a home.




In the last 6 months We have:
Painted the bedroom green and brown
Painted the kitchen red
Painted the bathroom green
Painted the nursery yellow
Replaced the bathroom mirror
Purchased awesome decorations
Watched the dogs and cats knock down or break every decoration
Darn near replumbed the ENTIRE place
Ripped out trailers full of ugly old bushes
Taken a junk tree out of the front yard. Sorry tree, you were pretty while you were pink, and then you were just messy. And you hit my window too much at night and freaked me out.
Put up the fencing for the side yard
Taken out the rosebushes, but not before Zailey ran though them
Shampoo'd the entire downstairs
Repaired water damage
Gotten more water damage
Purchased a bedroom set! The first real set I've ever had... with a headboard and everything!
Purchased our first living room set. Red Leather... and totally awesome.
Learned how our 50's oven works, and burn less things than we did before
Fell in love with our hardwood floors....
fell, quickly, OUT of love with our hardwood floors
discovered that we much be the home base for every fly that has ever existed
failed to figure out where all the dust comes from
added four pooches to the pack
wondered where all the free time went.


Next stop: parenthood?


Owning our own home has been both the most exhausting and rewarding thing we have done as a married couple. (uhhh... and expensive)

I've lived a couple places. San Diego is nice, but just not for me. Portland is Hell on earth. At least, it was for me, but I kind of lived in the armpit of Portland, in all fairness... and it must not shower much. Denver was wonderful, but still a tad too industrial for me.


Utah is beautiful, and this is where my family is. It ALMOST feels like home, but something is missing. I long for land, mountains, freaking PRIVACY. I have no idea where the next 10 years might take our little family, but it will never change that this is our FIRST real home. We might settle in Northern Idaho, or we might find some hole in the wall Podunk town in Utah somewhere, who knows. As long as we're together... it will, in fact, be home, right Annie? Right.